Green highlights the high human and financial toll of the current open-border policies, accusing Secretary Mayorkas of making American communities more dangerous. On September 20, 2023, Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, Mark E. Green, MD (R-TN), took aim at DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in a hearing that launched the fourth phase of an ongoing oversight investigation into the border crisis.
"Secretary Mayorkas is Wasting Taxpayer Dollars and the Cartels are Profiting," Green stated during the hearing. He cited numerous examples to support his accusations, including a recent tragedy where a one-year-old boy in the Bronx died from fentanyl exposure during nap time at a daycare facility. Chairman Green argued that Secretary Mayorkas' policies are contributing to the fentanyl crisis that is devastating American families.
Chairman Green also called out the "abuse" of taxpayer dollars under Secretary Mayorkas' watch. He pointed to escalating healthcare costs, with hospitals spending nearly $100 billion a year on treatment for opioid disorders, primarily driven by fentanyl. The Chairman also noted the surge in Medicaid spending on "emergency services for undocumented aliens," which increased from $1.6 billion in FY16 to over $7 billion in FY21.
The hearing delved into the strain the border crisis is putting on local resources, from healthcare to law enforcement. Chairman Green highlighted the costs incurred by Texas, which has spent more than $4 billion to secure its border. In Arizona, "border-related booking costs" amounted to $4.3 million in 2022 alone.
Chairman Green concluded his statement by accusing Secretary Mayorkas of neglecting to comply with laws requiring the detention of illegal immigrants, thereby passing the financial burden onto state and local governments. He stated, "Secretary Mayorkas is wasting taxpayer dollars and the cartels are profiting."
The hearing marks a critical phase in ongoing investigations into the border crisis and serves as a platform for the Committee's intent to hold the Biden Administration accountable for what they describe as a 'self-inflicted crisis' affecting both human lives and America's financial stability.
